JADE HUNTER

The Story

 Jill Howard, a young British Sinologist, is on the trail of a jade carving.  But no ordinary jade carving.  Created in Ming Dynasty China, the carving, in the form of two dragons, becomes the centerpiece in a story of theft, murder, war and high adventure.  Through painstaking research Jill uncovers the sculpture's six-hundred year history as it is sold out of China along the fabled Silk Road to Arabia and the Holy Land.  From there it journeys to Italy to the Medici family who sell it northwards until it reaches England.  Narrowly escaping destruction at the hands of King Henry VIII, the sculpture survives to sail in a British warship as she goes to war with Napoleon.  Finally, Jill discovers the carving has been destroyed in a fire, but that may not be the end of the story.

You can read the Prologue and first chapter of Jade Hunter by going to the link on the left of this page.  You can also go to the Links page and find sites that will tell you about Ming Dynasty China, Tudor England, the Napoleonic Wars and much more.

Watch this site for new information, additional links and confirmation of Jade Hunter's publication date in ebook and print formats.  I'll also add details of short stories or other items of mine that are being published elsewhere from time to time.

A Word about the Photographs on this Site

The photographs I've posted on this site show some of the places in China described in Jade Hunter. The images of HMS Victory are used as an example of a large eighteenth century English warship of the Napoleonic era, similar to the one appearing in Jade Hunter.

Apart from the old paintings of King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, which are well recognized, the photos are the original work of Roger Cheung, Gordon Graham and Bryce Babcock, who own all rights to the images.  Please contact me if you wish to make use of any of those photographs.